Baraka

VHS, 96 minutes, MPI

"Baraka", an ancient Sufi word with forms in many languages, translates as a blessing, or as the breath or essence of life from which the evolutionary process unfolds. A transcendently poetic tour of the globe, "Baraka" was shot in breathtaking 70mm in 24 countries on six continents. Set to the life affirming rhythm of varied religious rituals and nature's own raw beat, "Baraka" is a visualization of the interconnectedness humans share with the earth. Spanning such diverse locales as China, Brazil, Kuwait and major U.S. and European sites, amount others, "Baraka" captures not only the harmony, but also the calamity that humans and nature have visited upon the earth. However, mere words do not do the film justice-"Baraka" must be seen, felt, experienced to be understood.